United States court of
federal claims
The people’s court
he role of the United States Court of Federal
Claims is integrally related to the
fundamental principle of the U.S.
Constitution that individuals have rights against the
government. The Court traces its origins directly
back to 1855, when Congress established the United
States Court of
Claims to provide
for the
determination of
private claims
against the United
States. The
legislation was
signed into law on
Febuary 24, 1855,
by President
Franklin Pierce.
Throughout its
150-year history,
although it has
undergone notable
changes in name, size, scope of jurisdiction, and
procedures, its purpose has remained the same: In
this Court the federal government stands as the
defendant and may be sued by citizens seeking
monetary redress. For this reason, the Court has
been referred to as the “keeper of the nation’s
conscience” and “the People’s Court.”
As originally created in 1855, the Court lacked
the essential judicial power to render final
judgments. This oversight was resolved by
legislation passed in 1866, in response to President
Lincoln’s insistence in his Annual Message to
Congress in 1861 that, “It is as much the duty of
Government to render prompt justice against itself,
T
Abraham Lincoln
Franklin Pierce
President
1853 — 1857
Benjamin Harrison
President
1889 — 1893
White House Historical Association (White House Collection)
in favor of citizens, as it is to administer the same between
private individuals.”
In 1887, Congress passed the Tucker Act, which significantly
expanded the Court’s jurisdiction to include all claims against the
government except tort, equitable and admiralty claims. The
Court thus today has nationwide jurisdiction over most suits for
monetary claims against the government and sits, without a jury,
to determine issues of law and fact. The general jurisdiction of
the Court, described in 28 U.S.C. § 1491, is over claims for just
compensation for the taking of private property, refund of federal
taxes, military and civilian pay and allow